From Eggs to Ecosystems: Hands-On Learning Through Brook Trout Hatcheries

Ms. Hawco's class at St. Joseph Catholic School in Oshawa, and Ms. John Rajanayagam's at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School have been hosting brook trout hatcheries during the 2025-2026 school year.

The two classes have taken on caring for brook trout from the egg stage and have been exploring the cycle of growth, habitat, and stewardship. This hands-on project has woven its way through every subject area such as science, math, literacy, art, and social studies, giving students a rich, interconnected learning experience.

Along the way, they’ve welcomed community partners, including Ben Marshall and Beedahbin Peltier. Ben helped students with the hatchery set-up and Beedahbin worked with classes and together they engineered their own water‑filtration systems and deepened their understanding of the impact of water quality on living systems. Students are also learning about relationships, responsibility, reciprocity and the importance of protecting local ecosystems.